Pigeon VFW Hall nets big gift

Agri-Valley Communications and CoBank partner for donation

Tribune Staff Reports

Published
1:11 pm EDT, Friday, August 10, 2018

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Agri-Valley Communications President and CEO Edwin H. Eichler (left) and CoBank Communications Banking Group Managing Director Jacqueline Bove (right) present Pigeon Village President Michael A. LePage with checks for the new A/V system at the Pigeon VFW Hall.

Agri-Valley Communications President and CEO Edwin H. Eichler (left) and CoBank Communications Banking Group Managing Director Jacqueline Bove (right) present Pigeon Village President Michael A. LePage with checks for the new A/V system at the Pigeon VFW Hall.

PIGEON – The Village of Pigeon's VFW Hall has received a new audio/visual system as part of its ongoing renovation efforts. Pigeon-based Agri-Valley Communications, Inc. and its lending partner CoBank donated a combined $18,000 to purchase the hall's new A/V system.

The new system includes two video projector units for the main hall and bar area, along with nearly 30 commercial-grade speakers placed throughout the building. The system allows for high-quality video and audio to be played during events held at the hall.

"The addition of new audio and visual systems to the VFW Hall makes the venue more desirable for a variety of gatherings," said Pigeon Village President Michael A. LePage. "We believe these systems will be especially useful for community gatherings, parties, weddings and receptions."

The VFW Hall was built in 1947 and has spent its life as a gathering place for veterans of foreign wars and the Pigeon community. In 2017, the Village of Pigeon leased the building with the intention of improving the building for future generations. Due to seventy years of wear and tear, it was in need of significant aesthetic and functional renovation.

Within the last year, the Village has worked to bring the building up to code with HVAC, electrical, plumbing and accessibility improvements. The hall also received a fresh interior design with elegant lighting and modern amenities.

"The missing component in the hall's renovation was a quality A/V system," said Edwin H. Eichler, president and CEO of Agri-Valley Communications. "As a tech company, we felt it was a fitting opportunity for us to come forward and fund this valuable addition to the VFW Hall."

To maximize its contribution, Agri-Valley Communications applied to CoBank's Sharing Success program and was granted a funding match of $5,000. Agri-Valley Communications donated $13,000, which brought the total donation to $18,000. The VFW Hall is the third community project that the companies have collaborated to support — the others being the Pigeon Walking Path in 2016 and the Laker FFA Barn in 2017.

"CoBank is pleased to support another community project in partnership with Agri-Valley Communications," said Jacqueline Bove, managing director, CoBank. "As a responsible community member, they know where project funding is needed most. The VFW Hall is once again an asset for the people of Pigeon and surrounding areas."

With most interior renovations complete, the hall is now available for private parties up to 300 guests. The village plans to continue renovations in coming years, specifically replacing the floor and upgrading the exterior appearance of the building.